What I Make. - Sarah Washburn

White board doodle, Mardi Gras

2012-02-21T07:51:00.001-05:00

A little party for the work day, Zydeco on Pandora Radio and an excuse to use all of my bright dry erase markers!

Tea cozy

2012-01-08T10:05:00.001-05:00

Finally made a tea cozy for the teapot Dave and Emily got me! The left bird wraps through the handle and ties to the other bird. Tweet tweet!

Inspiration or Wasting time

2011-10-20T13:54:00.000-04:00

Often, too often, I wonder if I spend too much time looking for inspiration, waiting for a sign, and not enough time fulfilling my need to create something.

Creating satisfies the need. Inspiration makes you hungrier. If you know you are going to create anyways, why wait until I am starving? Why not just start the process sooner. I've always fought with the need for instantaneous art. Paint faster! Painting canvases a solid color, mixed on a whim, satisfies the need. Then when its time to conquer the masses, at least I have a color to begin. Anyways, white canvases are scarier than messing up. Que sera sera

Chickadee, watercolor

2011-09-28T11:58:00.001-04:00

Another productive lunch break. Chickadees visit our feeders year round. Its nice to see the 'regulars.'

Philadendron on my desk

2011-09-21T13:15:00.001-04:00

Had to bring something green into the office! Had to paint it too.

Olivia in watercolor

2011-09-21T13:12:00.001-04:00

Not an exact likeness but not far from it either. A perfectly good use of lunch break, burrito aside.

Early morning tea

2011-08-21T21:11:00.001-04:00

18x24" acrylic and pastel

Midnight Bovine

2011-06-23T16:57:00.001-04:00

18x24" acrylic on canvas
I am so excited to finally be painting cows!!!

Release

2011-06-09T11:30:00.001-04:00

Acrylic on canvas 18x24. This is the result of 2 sessions. I am very happy with the finished piece. Really a release!

Yellow Irises, detail

2011-06-02T15:35:00.000-04:00

A much better photo of the yellow and violet flowers. The complementary colors worked well together. This feels like a good exercise in the hot morning sun. I'm ready to start something bigger!

Yellow Irises, complete

2011-06-02T15:33:00.000-04:00

Poor quality photo from my phone camera, but it is a good representation of the vase, which was a very deep purple glass. Every week that I paint there are new flowers in bloom, it is so nice to pick the flowers and have a memory in paint of them weeks later! ~ Sarah

In progress, Yellow Irises

2011-06-02T15:31:00.000-04:00

Painting session this morning, about an hour and a half total. I usually do not sketch with a pencil first, but my subject was so tall and I had limited "canvas" (actually black matboard) that I needed to rough it in first. You can see the pencil lines of the vase.

Olivia's first color wheel

2011-05-29T10:08:00.001-04:00

Impatients

2011-05-19T23:08:00.001-04:00

2nd week painting at a friend's house. It was drizzling rain so we stayed inside. I'll upload a better photo sometime. This is about 11x14" acrylic on black board.

St. Lucia bay

2011-05-18T18:37:00.002-04:00

Acrylic 4x6" painting of a photo I took in 1998 (give or take a year) in St.Lucia where the original Dr. Dolittle was filmed (great pink sea snail scene if I remember right.)

Spring Lamb

2011-05-18T18:33:00.001-04:00

This is painted after an excursion to a friend's bird farm. She has a family of Black Bellied Barbados Sheep. Acrylic on board. 4x6"

Hanging lamps

2011-05-18T10:30:00.002-04:00

I loved the glow of these lights even with the rough brush strokes. This is from a few weeks ago. 4x6 acrylic. The dark stripe is the bottom

Olivia in acrylic

2011-05-15T13:08:00.001-04:00

1st acrylic of Olivia at 7 1/2 months in her easter bonnet.

Flora

2011-05-10T13:58:00.001-04:00

Last painting class with Jim Glover was this morning. He did a plein air piece as demo but the clouds came in so we went inside to paint. But its been a beautiful day since! The class was great. I'll be keeping up painting this summer by painting in my good friend's back yard once a week. Might start this week!

Still life 1 - complete

2011-05-03T14:34:00.001-04:00

Complete for now. The right side of the mug needs to be darker in value to blend in with the small apple just a bit. I'd like for the background to be more saturated too. Any other critiques?

Still life 1

2011-05-03T14:31:00.001-04:00

About fifteen minutes into it. Acrylic on board from life. Workingg from life was a rwal stretch on mixing colors. The white mug really threw me. In the end it held almost every color seen in the rest of the painting.

Progress #4

2011-04-26T13:52:00.001-04:00

Done for today. Finished sky and water.

In progress #3

2011-04-26T13:50:00.001-04:00

Water detail and sky.

In progress

2011-04-26T13:48:00.003-04:00

#2 more detail on water

In progress

2011-04-26T13:35:00.001-04:00

Painting a lake scene in my painting class. This is about an hour into it. More later.

2011-03-15T14:25:00.001-04:00

5x7'' watercolor

2011-03-15T14:19:00.001-04:00

Watercolor 4x3.5''

2011-03-15T14:17:00.001-04:00

Idea for folding bench. Seems impractical for wood- too heavy maybe.

2011-03-15T14:15:00.001-04:00

Watercolor sketch, skewed because its a phone photo.

2011-03-15T13:48:00.001-04:00

Having fun drawing without looking. I've been trying to get back to at least sketching every day with watercolors or pen to keep up the creative juices! I've had some big ideas for paintings, but they will have to wait for some canvas to be stretched.

FWD:

2011-02-26T23:20:00.001-05:00

More accurate color and cat.

This message has been sent using the picture and Video service from Verizon Wireless!

To learn how you can snap pictures and capture videos with your wireless phone visit www.verizonwireless.com/picture.

Note: To play video messages sent to email, Quicktime@ 6.5 or higher is required.

2011-02-26T23:15:00.001-05:00

This is a painting I did last year but something just wasn't quite right. I finally figured out it was the colors and I've fixed them. Now it is finished! This has energized me to revisit a couple others that I'm not happy with! (The photo is a little desaturated, but you get the idea.)

2011-02-26T23:14:00.001-05:00

11x10 1/2" acrylic on board. Color study and pattern play. About 10 hours.

This message has been sent using the picture and Video service from Verizon Wireless!

To learn how you can snap pictures and capture videos with your wireless phone visit www.verizonwireless.com/picture.

Note: To play video messages sent to email, Quicktime@ 6.5 or higher is required.

2011-02-26T23:09:00.001-05:00

Double or leafy tulip. 18 x 24'' acrylic. 6 hours

"Bear" Acrylic on matboard 5x5"

2011-02-16T18:47:00.001-05:00

And here is the painting!

Painting palette for "Bear"

2011-02-16T18:45:00.001-05:00

Painting I did for my brother and sis-in-law on Sunday. Took less than an hour. Acrylic on archival matboard. Here's the palette.

365 Days to Create! Creation 312/365

2010-01-15T12:50:00.001-05:00

Yesterday I spoke at the Cultural Arts Center's Conversations and Coffee. This was a wonderful experience and so fulfilling. Painting for me has always been a personal endeavor and that has been enough. The way that people responded to some of my work made the paintings and the process feel more worthwhile to me. Thanks to everyone that came out to see my art work!

Thanks to Ellen O'Shaughnessy for hosting the great program weekly. For more info: Cultural Arts Center

This painting is acrylic on canvas, 18x24. It is by far one of my favorites, but that often happens when I paint something new. So, this is my "new favorite." I have plans to create similar pieces soon.

365 Days to Create! Creation 311/365

2010-01-15T12:47:00.000-05:00

Oil on canvas, 18x24"

Some paintings start as an experiment. This was one of those. I have plans to modify some of it slightly. My favorite part of this painting is the last of an early snow melting over the tilled earth in the foreground.

365 Days to Create! Creation 310/365

2010-01-15T12:45:00.000-05:00

This painting is acrylic on canvas. It may be incomplete... but for now it needs to rest. 18x24"

365 Days to Create! Creation 309/365

2010-01-15T12:44:00.001-05:00

Goldfinch. Acrylic on porcelain with gloss shellac. 3" diameter

365 Days to Create! Creation 308/365

2010-01-15T12:42:00.000-05:00

Chickadee. Acrylic on porcelain with gloss shellac.

365 Days to Create! Creation 307/365

2010-01-15T12:38:00.000-05:00

Before Christmas this year, I painted this Blue Jay on a porcelain ornament. I really enjoyed painting the bird and I will paint more! This is acrylic on porcelain, 3" in diameter, sprayed with a gloss shellac.

365 Days to Create! Creation 302-306/365

2010-01-15T12:35:00.003-05:00

5 new bracelets. I have been using all sorts of things in my bracelets lately. In these there are buttons, polished stones, and beads.

365 Days to Create! Creation 301/365

2010-01-15T12:32:00.001-05:00

This new necklace pendant is made from many broken pieces of jewelry. The top faux ruby and 2 leaves are from a clip-on earring. The larger gold leaves used to hold a small pearl that had broken off. I wound them all with silver and copper wires and beads to create the new piece. Where discolored edges showed, I brushed on dabs of gold or white gold paint.Save Now

365 Days to Create! Creation 300/365

2010-01-15T12:29:00.000-05:00

Collections... I have so many small collections of little things. I just cannot help picking up the halves of birds' eggs in the yard in the spring and summer. These are arranged in a 5x7 shadow box with dried daffodils from my garden.

365 Days to Create! Creation 298 & 299/365

2010-01-15T12:27:00.001-05:00

Recently I needed two greeting cards, so I drew this colorful bird on a transparent mulberry paper and attached it to layers of lavender card stock. Both are in the mail! (Colored pencils)

365 Days to Create! Creation 297/365

2010-01-15T12:24:00.001-05:00

New curtain for the living room. I found a brand new sheet at the thrift store in December and have finally gotten around to sewing it into a curtain. The old curtains were very neutral. This brightens things up a bit!

365 Days to Create! Creation 296/365

2010-01-15T12:21:00.001-05:00

Coffee themed apron. The blue fabric has coffee beans and the dark brown has swirls in blue, brown, and green.

365 Days to Create! Creation 294 & 295/365

2009-11-10T21:39:00.000-05:00

If you have been following my work for over a year, then you have seen my website change a few times. This last time I made a collage of materials I use (the first image) and setup the whole thing in Flash. I spent about 15 hours over a weekend working on it, but the original concept changed a few times. Since it isn't as cohesive as I'd like, I am creating a XHTML, CSS, and Javascript only site that doesn't require Flash to be viewed. Some Vista users were having problems getting to the Flash page, so that was a motivation also. I'll have the new version up within a few weeks.

365 Days to Create! Creation 292 & 293/365

2009-11-10T21:37:00.000-05:00

This is the before and after versions of this card. When I made it I hadn't intended on painting on it, but that's what happened! This is a Downy Woodpecker, common in Ohio. I painted it with acrylic paint.

365 Days to Create! Creation 291/365

2009-11-10T21:35:00.001-05:00

These leaves I picked up from the yard and from hiking. I dried them and mounted them on archival matboard.

It is important to make sure framed leaves are completely dry before framing them or they can grow mold.

365 Days to Create! Creation 290/365

2009-11-10T21:33:00.000-05:00

I framed these leaves that we found while hiking between 2 pieces of glass so that they will cast a shadow on the wall and you can look at the backs. Glass is 5x7"

365 Days to Create! Creation 289/365

2009-11-10T21:32:00.001-05:00

This mat is quilted an made from the same fabric as the pin on the last post. It is about 16" across and the other side is a dark forrest green.

365 Days to Create! Creation 287 & 288/365

2009-11-10T21:09:00.001-05:00

This pin was made from layered fabric flowers, cut out of a solid piece of material. I attached the pin to the card card as a birthday gift.

365 Days to Create! Creation 274-286/365

2009-11-10T21:06:00.000-05:00

12 Pieces of jewelry

nine bracelets, one repaired necklace, one set of earrings(only one shown), and one pendant

365 Days to Create! Creation 273/365

2009-11-10T21:01:00.001-05:00

Pastel drawing, 8.5x11" This was an interpretation of a photography by my friend, Nova Weller. You can see her other photography here: http://www.pbase.com/westbridge/novaweller

365 Days to Create! Creation 272/365

2009-11-10T20:57:00.000-05:00

I found this cardtable in our shed. It was left by the previous owners. The original vinyl and wood top were completely rotted out, but the frame was in good shape. So I've replaced the top with new wood and vinyl. I kept the torn patent label which was dated 1904. To think it was just hanging out in the shed!

365 Days to Create! Creation 270 & 271/365

2009-11-10T20:55:00.000-05:00

Mat and I were Mario and Luigi for halloween this year. I made our hats without a pattern... which was a challenge since I've never messed with the construction of a hat before.

365 Days to Create! Creation 269/365

2009-11-10T20:53:00.000-05:00

This frame is 3" square. I stretched a fruit bag net over the back and hung it in a cabinet to hold random earrings and things. I've been using it for a couple of weeks now and it is very handy.

365 Days to Create! Creation 268/365

2009-11-10T20:51:00.000-05:00

The mailbox card within a card.

365 Days to Create! Creation 266 & 267/365

2009-11-10T20:45:00.001-05:00

2 Acorn cards, made from the same sheets of paper.

365 Days to Create! Creation 265/365

2009-11-10T20:44:00.000-05:00

Bookmark: colored pencil drawing of fern, cardstock and ribbon.

365 Days to Create! Creation 264/365

2009-11-10T20:43:00.000-05:00

Leaf sketch for card - colored pencil. I didn't have anything in mind for this before I started, just that I wanted it to be simple.

365 Days to Create! Creation 263/365

2009-11-10T20:41:00.000-05:00

Halloween card made for my cousins.

365 Days to Create! Creation 262/365

2009-11-10T20:40:00.001-05:00

Bat card!

Made from cardstock.

365 Days to Create! Creation 261/365

2009-11-10T20:38:00.000-05:00

Really? Everything I make can't be serious. This is a straw bird. I found the instructions on http://www.wikihow.com/

365 Days to Create! Creation 259&260/365

2009-11-10T20:36:00.000-05:00

Painting sketches.

365 Days to Create! Creation 258/365

2009-11-10T19:32:00.000-05:00

Sketches as character studies.

365 Days to Create! Creation 257/365

2009-09-29T14:40:00.001-04:00

Card #4 made from cardstock paper and fabric.

365 Days to Create! Creation 256/365

2009-09-29T14:37:00.000-04:00

Card #3 made from cardstock paper and fabric.

365 Days to Create! Creation 255/365

2009-09-29T14:36:00.000-04:00

Card #2 made from cardstock paper and fabric.

365 Days to Create! Creation 254/365

2009-09-29T14:33:00.001-04:00

Card made from cardstock paper and fabric.

365 Days to Create! Creation 253/365

2009-09-29T14:32:00.001-04:00

Flower Lady #2 carries a button purse.

365 Days to Create! Creation 252/365

2009-09-29T14:30:00.000-04:00

Flower Lady made from appliqued fabric and acrylic paint.

Her face is about the size of a dime.

365 Days to Create! Creation 251/365

2009-09-29T14:29:00.000-04:00

Miniature shadowbox "Spotted Cat"

Approximately 1.25x2.5"

Fabric, paint, glue, wood frame.

365 Days to Create! Creation 250/365

2009-09-29T14:26:00.001-04:00

More flowers and old button pin.

365 Days to Create! Creation 249/365

2009-09-29T13:58:00.000-04:00

Button and flower pin.

365 Days to Create! Creation 248/365

2009-09-25T22:04:00.001-04:00

Manipulated digital photo.

I took the original photo in downtown Columbus yesterday. The small street-lining trees are all changing colors right now.

365 Days to Create! Creation 247/365

2009-09-25T20:26:00.002-04:00

#5 - Budding on gold

365 Days to Create! Creation 246/365

2009-09-25T20:26:00.001-04:00

#4 - Poppies on gold and silver

365 Days to Create! Creation 245/365

2009-09-25T20:19:00.000-04:00

#3 - Lilacs on gold "the kiss"

365 Days to Create! Creation 244/365

2009-09-25T20:18:00.000-04:00

#2 - Peonie on gold

365 Days to Create! Creation 243/365

2009-09-25T20:15:00.001-04:00

A few friends have given my Artist Trading Cards and I've finally broken them out! This yellow rose is a flat paint color over the shimmering gold background. I was so pleased with the effect I made more!

365 Days to Create! Creation 242/365

2009-09-25T20:14:00.000-04:00

The first of many paint marker experiments. This was the trial run to test drying time and mixing and colors.

365 Days to Create! Creation 241/365

2009-09-25T20:13:00.000-04:00

Reworked bracelet made from a flea market $0.50 necklace.

365 Days to Create! Creation 240/365

2009-09-16T13:35:00.000-04:00

This pin is made from another flower, I fastened the whole thing to a small piece of plastic canvas so it is sturdy in the center. Then I sewed each bead to the center and added the wire "filaments" to the center.

365 Days to Create! Creation 239/365

2009-09-16T13:32:00.001-04:00

This pin took about an hour to make. The flowers are cut from an old silk that I ironed to fusible interfacing. Then I cut them out, stitched them together and gathered the centers so they would Pop, and added the button and pin.

365 Days to Create! Creation 238/365

2009-09-16T13:29:00.000-04:00

I've been holding onto this center button for awhile. The top is plastic, painted from the back side. It is mounted on painted metal that has the button holes. If you turn it just right, the inside catches a bit of light, but because it is so old, most of its shine is gone.

The blue flower was found in a jar of buttons and the whole thing is tied down to a larger red button and a pin.

365 Days to Create! Creation 237/365

2009-09-16T13:26:00.000-04:00

Over the last few years (5?) as I've collected buttons I've found so many other things. Mostly rusty nails, but occasionally I found interesting things like this Typewriting pin (possibly from girlscouts?) or the charm from the last post.

This pin is comprised of the typewriting pin and 3 buttons, with a new pin on the back. The whole thing is sewn together so that each piece remains completely intact.

365 Days to Create! Creation 236/365

2009-09-16T13:24:00.000-04:00

This charm I assembled from an existing charm and beads threaded on silver posts. They are looped together to create the upside-down "V" shapes. It hangs nicely like this.

365 Days to Create! Creation 235/365

2009-09-16T13:22:00.001-04:00

This bracelet is made from glass beads (teardrops and others with gold details) and metal buttons, a few of them probably brass. The extreme detail is what interests me the most about old buttons. I also like the way they age.

365 Days to Create! Creation 234/365

2009-09-16T13:20:00.001-04:00

This bracelet features some of my favorite old buttons. Each one is unique.

365 Days to Create! Creation 233/365

2009-09-16T13:18:00.000-04:00

Black glass beads and stones make up this bracelet. I am trying out this new clasp, called a box clasp to see how easy it is to use and if it holds up.

365 Days to Create! Creation 232/365

2009-09-16T13:17:00.001-04:00

To get the bracelets started, this is one I made about a month ago but forgot to post! The black beads are glass, yellow is plastic.

365 Days to Create! Creation 231/365

2009-09-16T13:08:00.000-04:00

First sketch with handmade pastels that I bought at the Fair at New Boston, Labor Day weekend. Thanks to "Bongiorno Forge & Foundry" for the pastels, wealth of info on making pastels, and enthusiasm! Its so wonderful to see people in their element, thriving, enjoying themselves. Its contagious!

I am really impressed by these handmade pastels and am planning on making some of my own this winter.

365 Days to Create! Creation 230/365

2009-09-14T21:54:00.000-04:00

Oil painting, 2x3" on stretched canvas

If you click on the image to see the larger view, you can see the actual brush strokes. Of course since it is smaller than a business card, you can imagine how small the brush strokes are.

When I have leftover paint from a larger project I like to paint something different from the same colors. These small canvases come in handy for that.

365 Days to Create! Creation 228 & 229/365

2009-09-14T21:52:00.001-04:00

2 Camoflage belt bags for my nephews. I made these from an old pair of camo pants. One has 3 pockets and the other has 2 pockets with an extra strap (left-hand side.) Both have belt loops on the back.

365 Days to Create! Creation 227/365

2009-09-14T21:40:00.000-04:00

Lavender sachet, made with dried lavender flowers, scrap fabric, and an extra charm from the favors at my brother's wedding.

The end is NIGH!

2009-09-07T17:33:00.000-04:00

365 projects in 365 days! I have a long way to go in just under 50 days. I'll be working every day now on these until I reach the end. If you've had an idea of something I can make - send it now!

Thanks to everyone who is tracking my progress - I hope you are getting creative ideas from some of the things I've made! I have 139 more projects to make - oh the fun!

-Sarah

365 Days to Create! Creation 225&226/365

2009-09-07T17:24:00.000-04:00

Two pins made from buttons and lace. Each is about 1.5" across and they are sewn, not glued.